From Fragmented to Flowing
“They were just sitting in a room for hours. Then someone would say, ‘Go find your advisor.’ That was it.”
That used to be international orientation at YSU — a schedule of speakers with no connective tissue. Jessica stepped in and asked: what if onboarding could start earlier? What if we built a system that shows we care before they arrive?
With the help of her team, the International Programs Office, and VZO, Jessica led a full rebuild. They designed a new onboarding flow driven by personalized task lists, triggered advisor release logic, and a cross-campus committee to catch what tech can’t.
Clip: The passive, fragmented model she inherited — and what triggered the rebuild.
“It was kind of like, ‘Here’s a room, here’s a speaker, now go find your advisor.’ It didn’t work.”
Systems That Signal Care
“We mirrored the international admitted students page in VZO. Everything they need is there now.”
Here’s how the system works:
- VZO auto-imports placement scores + visa data
- Once two milestones are hit, students get an email with advisor contact info
- That email unlocks registration — before they even arrive
The result? 60% of international students were registered before arriving in the U.S. Anxiety went down. Belonging went up. Orientation became about connection, not chaos.
Clip: The automation logic in VZO and how it fueled early registration.
“They were registered, they had seats, they had bills — before they even got here.”
Building a Belonging Machine
Jessica didn’t stop at logistics. She brought in voices from across campus:
- PNC Bank for mobile setup on arrival
- Catering, Student ID, Testing, and Union teams
- Peer mentors (including international students) to offer support and answer question
“We meet one-on-one with program assistants every other week. We treat our student team like professionals — because they are.”
She didn’t stop at orientation. With YSU 1500, she built a bridge — connecting students with their advisors all semester long.
Clip: Buy-in across departments to deliver full-campus support.
“Everyone at that table impacts the student experience — so we bring everyone to the table.”
Jessica’s Superpower
“People are my superpower. I build partnerships that build programs.”
Jessica didn’t need to rebuild the entire structure. Her predecessor had created a strong base. What she brought was energy, empathy, and connection — allowing YSU’s onboarding system to scale with integrity.
Clip: How her leadership style creates space for others to shine.
“I didn’t have to change the whole program — I just connected it.”
The Myth of “Just Orientation”
“It’s not just a program. It’s a process. And it starts the culture you’re selling.”
Jessica reframes orientation not as an event, but as a story arc — one that stretches from admission to the first year. Her commitment to early planning, ongoing relationships, and a rhythm of feedback creates room for innovation and joy.
Clip: Defining the difference—and shows why orientation is just the beginning.
“Orientation is one day. Onboarding is everything from admission to first semester.”
If I Could Whisper to My Past Self
“Trust yourself. You’ve got this.”
Jessica’s first orientation happened during COVID. Masks. Distance. Screens. But from that start, she learned to lead with confidence, welcome feedback, and never forget that systems only work if they serve people.
Clip: The advice she’d give to herself at the start of her journey.
“Be confident. The skills are in you — and the students need what you have.”
The Platform That Made It Possible
“We built our entire advisor release process using VZO — and now we use it for online learners too.”
VZO wasn’t just a tool — it was the infrastructure that let Jessica customize, automate, and extend her onboarding vision to online learners, accelerated programs, and beyond.
Clip: How advisor releases are triggered automatically through VZO task lists.
“We built our entire advisor release process using VZO — and now we use it for online learners too.”
Her Favorite Feature? The Advanced Task List
“My favorite feature lately, because of all the work and how much it’s helped with international orientation, is the task list. It’s how we connect students to their advisors — and it’s how we help them start.”
Clip: How VZO’s task list engine became the backbone of both international and online onboarding at YSU — powering everything from email triggers to advisor connections.
“It has really streamlined our advising process… and it works so well with international students that we modeled the same process for our online learners too.”
Jessica used VZO’s task list to:
- Automate advising release
- Trigger milestone emails
- Support online learners through 10-step modules
It’s not just a checklist — it’s the core of her onboarding flow.
